Highly qualifed and quitting work to do something creative

Q

quitter

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Hi!

Im a software engineer in a multinational and I'm taking a break\leave of absense because I'm starting to burn out! I plan to pursue my hobbies for about 6 months, and re-evaluate things. Im 34 and have never claimed the dole once. I am wondering if I would be able to claim social welfare for the these six months. Please bear in mind that Im very lucky in that my current skills mean I could find a well paid job in the morning!
I dont have any significant savings.. about 6k which I plan to spend during my time off.


Thanks for any help
 
quitter said:
Hi!

Im a software engineer in a multinational and I'm taking a break\leave of absense . I am wondering if I would be able to claim social welfare for the these six months.
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If you could get welfare payments in these circumstances I think you would have a stampede for time off ! You have to be available and looking for work to qualify for jobseeker benefit/asistance.
 
Thats what I thought. But in all fairness If i didnt take this time off Id prob end up on disability benefit in a few months. I dont believe in scamming the system.. but I could just as easliy burn myself out and get a note from the doctor! :p
 
If it is a break/ leave of absence, are you actually leaving the job? If the job will be there when you finish the break then I am not aware of a way that you can get unemployment benefit.

If the job is finished or you get redundancy then there should be no reason that you will not receive state support. I know of people in IT who are taking a break before finding another job and are claiming benefits. They could easily find a job this week if they wanted to.
 
Unless you're off sick due to stress or whatever you won't get anything from the SW. You will however get tax back which will supplement your savings.
 
quitter said:
Thats what I thought. But in all fairness If i didnt take this time off Id prob end up on disability benefit in a few months. I dont believe in scamming the system.. but I could just as easliy burn myself out and get a note from the doctor! :p
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The public sector might suit you !!!!
 
Thanks for all your replys.
Ok assuming I take time off and dont claim anything. I am now being told (by parents) that I will have to keep up my PRSI contributions during this period! Is this true? Or can anyone tell me where I could get more information?
 
Ok I Just rang the Dept of Social Welfare and they informed me that voluntary contribs would be 6.6% of my previous years salary. (would cost me about about 110 a month i reckon for six months). I asked what would happen if i didnt pay, and he reckoned the effect on my pension would be almost negligible as I will be making contributions again in 6 months. So im going to skip paying it.. unless someone else here tells me other wise :p
 
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